13 Mar 201805:34am IST

PANJIM: Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai on Monday said that the Greater Panjim Planning and Development Authority (GPPDA) was constituted only after receiving letters from the MLAs and sarpanchas concerned, however, the decision will be reviewed at the board meeting on March 19.

Sardesai said that all those now opposing the PDA had earlier consented to it and only after following the proper procedure, the GPPDA was constituted. He said that the MLAs and sarpanchas have now changed their stands.

“I will review the decision on March 19, each and every objection raised by the village panchayats will be considered. We will see that justice will be done in most of the cases,” Sardesai said. He, however, maintained that in certain places vertical development will happen.

A delegation comprising representatives of all six panchayats opposing the inclusion of the villages in the GPPDA submitted memorandums to the TCP Minister on Monday.

The villages include St Cruz, Curca-Bambolim-Talaulim, Chimbel, Azossim Mandur, Batim and Siridao-Pale panchayats. All the panchayats submitted separate memorandums to the minister opposing the GPPDA and seeking to de-notify their areas from the PDA.

The panchayats also submitted resolutions adopted by specially-conveyed gram sabhas in view of inclusion of villages in the GPPDA.

St Cruz MLA Antonio Fernandes, St Andre MLA Francis Silveira, sarpanch and deputy sarpanch of the most of the panchayats, former St Cruz MLA Victoria Fernandes and other social activists were part of the delegation.

Following public protests MLAs Fernandes and Silveira had submitted their resignations as members of the GPPDA.

Villagers fear that vertical development will lead to more residential and commercial buildings if they come under a PDA. They also contend that the present infrastructure in the village will not bear the load of an added population.